Cragars on a 1957 Custom?

[Ford_Crazy]

I just bought a 1957 custom and want to put 14" or 15" Cragar SS wheels on it.   I want the car to look vintage 60s with plain blackwall tires.  Anyone know what size and backspacing I will need and the maximum tire size?  Thanks!

[bagboy]

I have a set of older crager's [unlugs] 14'  225R70 seem to clear well.Not much more room on my RW in the rear.

[KidKourier]

  I ran 15x7's with 4.5 backspace and 225x70Rx15's tires all around,could have run bigger tires in rear or 15x8's but played it safe! check other topics this site 57Agin has pics of tires/rim combo which looks like largest you can run without modifications to rear wheel well!  KID

[57AGIN]

Flawebmaster:

For the maximum tire size without having to tub your Custom, I installed the following combinations on my Custom 300:

I mounted a pair of Cragar 15 x 8 with 255 x 60R15 TA Radials  The Cragar rims had the maximum back space available on Cragars, a 5.375" backspace. 

I also have a pair of Weld rims with a 5.5" backspace.  The Weld PROSTAR?s are 15 x 8 and have a set of Mickey Thompson P235 x 60R15 E.T. Street Radials mounted on them.  I only use this combo at the drag strip once or twice a year.

I have no tire clearance problems.  I did trim the inner lip of the wheel well a bit and I have to raise the car by the frame, undo and drop the rear shackles & shocks and lower the rear end assembly to get clearance between the outer wheel well and rear brake drums when mounting or dismounting the tires.  I don't know if I'd have this problem if I went to rear disc brakes.  If I have a flat on the road (without a floor jack & some tools) I have to say hello to the AAA and have it towed home.

Is it worth it?  Absolutely!!! 

To see photos of the final results please refer to the previous discussion thread re this topic.  My computer has been acting up and following the crash of my hard drive I'm all kinds of difficulty in resizing and posting photos I'd saved on disc.

Bob
57AGIN

[4banger]

On the rear of my 57, I have 275 x 60 x 15 with a 4.5 back space and 2.5 os space. Did not trim anything. Runs close but does not rub. Looks great.

[abe_lugo]

I probably can get more images of this 57, it frequents Bob's Big boy a lot in the summer
I can ask him the sizes, yes those are cragers, only that it's a blurry image


hope the size is legible
215/70r15

[57AGIN]

Flawebmaster:

I've straightened out my computer problems, here are a couple of photos of my Custom 300 with Cragars mounted (see previous post for specifics).  Looks like I'll have to post two separate pictures to meet the file size requirements.

Bob
57AGIN

[57AGIN]

Flawebmaster:

Here is the second photo.  These two shots should give a pretty good perspective of how the Cragars look on the Custom 300.

Bob
57AGIN